Workforce Housing “Ask Me Anything” with Jerryck Murrey

Ask Me Anything is a new monthly Q&A for local employers. Submit your questions about housing, affordability, workforce stability, and other issues affecting the Southern Oregon workforce. Each month, we’ll answer a few here and share the rest on our blog.

The column is led by Jerryck Murrey, a Rogue Valley resident and the founder and CEO of Annum. With more than 15 years of experience in real estate development, finance, and housing strategy, Jerryck has seen housing from multiple angles—from managing a $4 billion real estate portfolio to experiencing housing insecurity firsthand while growing up.

Send your questions to AMA@annumhousing.com.

To start, here’s one we hear often:

Q: As an employer, why is the cost of housing MY responsibility? Isn’t it up to employees to find housing that fits their budget?

Jerryck: It’s a fair question, and probably the right place to start.

Here’s our reality: since 2016, home prices in the Rogue Valley have roughly doubled, and Oregon now ranks 47th in the nation for housing affordability.

That kind of pressure creates real fragility for working families. Even when things seem stable on the surface, many of your employees might be just one rent increase, unexpected bill, or life event away from serious disruption. And when enough people live that way, it impacts hiring, retention, and the long-term stability of the local workforce.

Right now, developers and landlords are often the loudest voices shaping our regional response to the workforce housing crisis. I believe Rogue Valley employers should be fighting for their seat at the table and uniting to better influence how these decisions are made.

We have agency here. And if this is affecting your people, your bottom line, and your community, then we have every reason to help shape practical solutions that keep workers rooted here.